This week's edition of "The 3" features 2 famous Christian speakers, who have shown up this week in parts of the world where you would not expect such a speaker to have a broad audience - but they drew sizable in-person crowds and more via television or Internet. Also, the body of Christ was responsive - again - in the midst of a major tragedy, and Christian organizations were quick and effective. And, the top story involves the Boy Scouts of America, whose national council voted to remove the prohibition on openly gay members, which provides quite a quandary for the tens of thousands of churches that host Scout troops.
3 - Major international crusades in unlikely places - Michael Youssef, Nick Vujicic
Two high-profile Christian speakers have been leading special meetings in two improbable nations of the world, with significant results. Michael Youssef, Pastor of Atlanta's Church of the Apostles and speaker on the "Leading the Way" broadcast, recently concluded a 3-day meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, a nation that has the largest Muslim population in the world, but where thousands of people gathered each night to hear a message of hope and truth through Jesus Christ. According to the Leading the Way website, the meetings were held in a 15,000-seat arena and broadcast to millions via broadcast and online media—impacting untold numbers with the hope of the Gospel.
The first night's message was on the value of a soul, and after the message, hundreds came forward to accept Christ. The second day, Dr. Youssef and his son Jonathan ministered at a local church for Iranian refugees. Each of them has come to Indonesia as a half-way point on their journey to free countries like Australia or the United States. They wait as the government of Indonesia and the United Nations process their paperwork. Most have been in Indonesia for up to two years, and they have at least another year to wait. In the meantime, it is illegal for them to work in Indonesia, so they wait in very difficult circumstances.
On the second night, Dr. Youssef brought a message on God's passionate, pursuing, and sacrificial love - again, hundreds responded to the invitation. On night #3, he preached about Jesus Christ, the Pearl of great price, and how salvation in Christ surpasses the value of any earthly treasure.
The meetings drew crowds into the Istora stadium arena, and the event was broadcast to Indonesia on IndoVision's LIFE channel and around the world on THE KINGDOM SAT.
In addition, Dr. Youssef had been working with local pastors and ministry leaders to train them to take this message to all of Indonesia because he believes a three-day evangelistic campaign is not enough in the face of mounting challenges to the Christian faith in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, another well-known Christian speaker has ministered recently in Vietnam, a country that is governed by a communist regime that is considered to be quite restrictive on religion - Nick Vujicic, according to the Christian Post, spoke to a significant crowd in a soccer stadium this past Thursday.
Nguyen Dat An, who helped organize Vujicic's visit, said he was surprised the state broadcaster didn't cut off the speech altogether after Vujicic's comments about his faith.
"This was a miracle in Vietnam," An told the Associated Press. "God is the general director of this event."
Approximately 25,000 people, including the nation's vice president, flooded My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi to hear Vujicic speak, and millions watched the event at home. His speech was primarily motivational, addressing topics like respect for family, the need for forgiveness, and his stance against drinking and bullying.
However, the Australian-born speaker who was born without arms or legs did talk about his relationship with God.
"Do you know why I love God?" Vujicic asked a girl on stage who was also born without arms and legs, according to AP. "Because heaven is real. And one day, when we get to heaven, we are going to have arms and legs. And we are going to run, and we are going play, and we are going to race."
Nick is quoted as saying, "We are a unique ministry. We can go on national TV where other Christians cannot...Of course, in Vietnam there are limitations in how you can and can't talk about your faith, but with wisdom we come in. Some places we go we have to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves."
2 - Ministry organizations respond quickly to devastating storm in Oklahoma
On Monday afternoon, a massive, powerful, EF-5 tornado rumbled through Moore, Oklahoma and surrounding areas, killing two dozen and leaving a path of destruction in it wake. 7 of the victims were at the Plaza Towers Elementary School, which was essentially leveled by the storm.
As NBC's Brian Williams is quoted as saying, the "faith-based FEMA" moved in almost immediately - you see, in times of crisis, Christians ask the right questions about how they can help, and ministry organizations move rapidly into adversely affected areas. As WORLD Magazine's website reports, the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma immediately deployed more than 100 volunteers to the disaster site to assess damage and begin setting up relief centers. The relief efforts include mobile kitchens and teams to help with debris removal and clean up work. The group began to work with the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to distribute supplies and direct homeless victims to emergency shelters. Locations for emergency housing included a number of local churches and Oklahoma Baptist University.
Samaritan’s Purse was already in the region, responding to tornado damage recently in Texas. The group deployed two more teams to Oklahoma on Tuesday morning, and said it would accept applications for volunteers to help with debris clean-up, chainsaw work, and roof tarping. They worked in tandem with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team in order to offer physical and spiritual support in the aftermath.
A variety of local churches became involved, and a national ministry based in Oklahoma City, Feed the Children, was actively working to provide relief. The ministry of Convoy of Hope also had a strong presence in the region. Numerous ministries were able to provide an outlet for people to get involved financially in helping the victims of the storms.
1 - Boy Scouts national council votes to allow openly gay members, mass exodus predicted
As the result of a vote by the national council of the Boy Scouts of America, the youth organization will be changing its policy and begin allowing openly gay members as of January 1, 2014. It will continue to maintain its policy prohibiting openly gay adult leaders.
More than 60 percent of BSA national council members passed a resolution that states: No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” The 1,400-member council voted in Grapevine, Texas.
According to a report on the CitizenLink website, John Stemberger, founder of OnMyHonor,Net, said, “It is with great sadness and deep disappointment that we recognize on this day that the most influential youth program in America has turned a tragic corner...(Allowing) open and avowed homosexuality into Scouting will completely transform it into an unprincipled and risky proposition for parents. It is truly a sad day for Scouting.”
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) created a petition in March asking people to urge the BSA to “uphold the values that have defined the organization for over 100 years.”. ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman is quoted as saying, “Sadly, the Boy Scouts Executive National Council’s decision disregards not only the nearly 19,000 Americans who signed the petition…but also the millions of Americans who have supported the program...Those promoting the agenda to change what the Boy Scouts have always been won’t rest until there is complete acceptance of any sexual preference for both leaders and members.”
Faith-based organizations host more than 70,000 of the 116,000 local units. According to WORLD's Warren Smith, before the vote, the Boy Scouts estimated that as many as 400,000 Scouts and Scouters would leave the organization if the resolution passed. The BSA membership is now made up of more than 2.6 million, with more than 1 million adult leaders and volunteers.
And the groundwork could be laid for what is anticipated to be a mass exodus at a meeting next month. Stemberger said, “I am pleased to announce that OnMyHonor.Net along with other likeminded organizations, parents and BSA members, are announcing a coalition meeting that will take place next month in Louisville, Kentucky...There we will discuss the creation of a new character development organization for boys.”
Though the meeting will be private, Stemberger is encouraging people to email him with ideas or comments at Contact@OnMyHonor.Net.
“Your voice is very important to us and will be represented there,” he explained. “We will host and facilitate a national coalition meeting of former BSA parents and other youth leaders who wish to return to truly timeless values that once made the BSA great.”
Could it be that a new alternative organization will arise that will mirror the timeless values of the Boy Scouts? Or could existing youth programs, such as Royal Ambassdors, Awana, or other programs oriented toward youth or children add to their ranks and fulfill the role that Scouting has assumed for over 100 years?
This new direction of Scouting can only serve to encourage behavior that many find objectionable. Boys and their parents who are uncomfortable with this direction will be looking for a character- and friendship-based organization that is consistent with their values.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
The 3 - May 19, 2013
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes the latest development in the saga of a family who fled Germany because of government restrictions they encountered resulting from their homeschooling their children. Also, the abortion industry continues to be in the spotlight, with the verdict in the Kermit Gosnell trial being rendered and employees of another clinic, this time in Houston, going public about what they saw. And, the top story, perhaps the top story of the week in general, involves the allegations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted certain groups for increased scrutiny, including some Christian ministries.
3 - German homeschool family loses in appeals court, attorneys vow to continue the process for asylum
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision this week in the case of a family from Germany who had desired to homeschool their children there, but faced increased pressure from officials of the German government, who had even reportedly threatened to force the parents to give up custody of their children.
The Romeikes left Germany in 2008 and were granted asylum in 2010 by Immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman. That grant was overturned by the Board of Immigration Appeals in 2012. A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit heard the Romeikes’ appeal on April 23 in Cincinnati, and issued a unanimous decision on Tuesday against the family.
Michael Farris, Founder and Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association is quoted on the HSLDA website as saying, “We believe the Sixth Circuit is wrong, and we will appeal their decision...America has room for this family, and we will do everything we can to help them.” HSLDA has announced it will appeal the ruling.
The court said that the Romeikes had not made a sufficient case, and that the United States has not opened its doors to every victim of unfair treatment. The court did acknowledge that the U.S. Constitution recognizes the rights of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children, it refused to concede that the harsh treatment of religiously and philosophically motivated homeschoolers in Germany amounts to persecution within our laws on asylum.
Mike Donnelly, HSLDA director of international affairs claimed that, “The court ignored mountains of evidence that homeschoolers are harshly fined and that custody of their children is gravely threatened—something most people would call persecution. This is what the Romeikes will suffer if they are sent back to Germany.”
Already over 124,000 people have signed an online petition in support of this family.
2 - Philadelphia abortionist found guilty, new reports surface on similar actions in Houston
The Gosnell trial is over, but the conversation about the issue of abortion is hopefully far from over, as this trial has opened up new questions about the nature of the abortion industry. Pro-life advocates are attempting to make the case that Gosnell's Philadelphia clinic, nicknamed the "House of Horrors" is more of the rule rather than the exception. Abortion supporters are attempting to make the opposite case.
Gosnell was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Tuesday for killing babies born alive and received another life sentence on Wednesday. WORLD continued its comprehensive coverage throughout the week.
In a video released Wednesday by Life Dynamics, a Denton, Texas-based pro-life organization, three former employees of Karpen's clinic discuss the details of routine late-term abortions there in which babies were allegedly born alive and then subsequently killed by the abortion doctor.
A fourth former employee remains anonymous at this time, but is filing an affidavit about her experiences at one of Karpen's abortion clinics.
1 - Christian groups join Tea Party, conservative organizations facing increased scrutiny from IRS
First of all, there was an admission by an Internal Revenue Service employee that certain conservative organizations had faced a heightened level of scrutiny for their activities. Then, the attention turned to Christian ministries, including pro-life organizations, who claimed some negative treatment by certain IRS employees.
Franklin Graham released a copy of a letter he had sent to President Obama citing that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, two organizations that he heads, were notified last September that the IRS would review their records for the 2010 tax year.
The IRS inquiry, he noted, occurred months after the BGEA ran ads in April 2012 supporting a North Carolina amendment that banned same-sex marriage, which passed in May. Graham wrote in his letter, "I believe that someone in the Administration was targeting and attempting to intimidate us...This is morally wrong and unethical — indeed some would call it ‘un-American.”
Pro-life groups who allegedly faced enhanced scrutiny include Christian Voices for Life, a Texas-based group which encountered delays in its application for tax-exempt status in 2011, and Coalition for Life of Iowa, which delays before getting its tax-exempt status in 2009. The Thomas More Law Center, representing the Iowa group, had outlined in 2011 what it regarded inappropriate IRS behavior - in its demand letters, the IRS has sought to know whether the group does “education on both sides of the issues,” whether members of the group “try to block people to [sic] enter a … medical clinic” during “40 Days for Life” and “Life Chain” events, whether members of the group “attempt to talk to someone trying to enter a medical clinic,” and to “please explain what you are [doing] during” 40 Days for Life and Life Chain vigils. Apparently, even the content of prayers was questioned.
Dr. James Dobson, in trying to acquire tax-exempt status for his Family Talk organization was told by an IRS representative:
Now a report from WORLD indicates that National Organization for Marriage intends to sue the IRS next week amid allegations that the agency leaked confidential donor information to a key political rival. In March of 2013, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which advocates for the legalization of gay marriage, released confidential NOM donor lists and addresses on its website. HRC attempted to conceal the source of the information, but NOM Chairman Dr. John Eastman said computer technicians were able to see redacted portions of the PDF document, proving it had originated from the IRS.
Eastman said HRC had been trying to secure the donor lists in order intimidate and harass groups and companies that supported the cause for traditional marriage. He said that is exactly what happened. Eastman told WORLD that donors often gave to NOM under the condition that the donations were kept anonymous, and the disclosure led to some donors refusing further gifts out of fear of retribution.
Who knows what the coming week will hold...the reports do appear to establish or at least allege a pattern that has developed with some conservative and Christian organizations who received a level of scrutiny in their dealings with some people in the IRS that perhaps comparable liberal-leaning organizations did not experience. As tough questions are asked, one would hope that the truth would prevail.
3 - German homeschool family loses in appeals court, attorneys vow to continue the process for asylum
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision this week in the case of a family from Germany who had desired to homeschool their children there, but faced increased pressure from officials of the German government, who had even reportedly threatened to force the parents to give up custody of their children.
The Romeikes left Germany in 2008 and were granted asylum in 2010 by Immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman. That grant was overturned by the Board of Immigration Appeals in 2012. A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit heard the Romeikes’ appeal on April 23 in Cincinnati, and issued a unanimous decision on Tuesday against the family.
Michael Farris, Founder and Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association is quoted on the HSLDA website as saying, “We believe the Sixth Circuit is wrong, and we will appeal their decision...America has room for this family, and we will do everything we can to help them.” HSLDA has announced it will appeal the ruling.
The court said that the Romeikes had not made a sufficient case, and that the United States has not opened its doors to every victim of unfair treatment. The court did acknowledge that the U.S. Constitution recognizes the rights of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children, it refused to concede that the harsh treatment of religiously and philosophically motivated homeschoolers in Germany amounts to persecution within our laws on asylum.
Mike Donnelly, HSLDA director of international affairs claimed that, “The court ignored mountains of evidence that homeschoolers are harshly fined and that custody of their children is gravely threatened—something most people would call persecution. This is what the Romeikes will suffer if they are sent back to Germany.”
Already over 124,000 people have signed an online petition in support of this family.
2 - Philadelphia abortionist found guilty, new reports surface on similar actions in Houston
The Gosnell trial is over, but the conversation about the issue of abortion is hopefully far from over, as this trial has opened up new questions about the nature of the abortion industry. Pro-life advocates are attempting to make the case that Gosnell's Philadelphia clinic, nicknamed the "House of Horrors" is more of the rule rather than the exception. Abortion supporters are attempting to make the opposite case.
Gosnell was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Tuesday for killing babies born alive and received another life sentence on Wednesday. WORLD continued its comprehensive coverage throughout the week.
Gosnell avoided the death penalty by agreeing to give up his right to appeal if he could spend the rest of his life in prison for his first-degree murder convictions. But jurors on Monday also convicted the abortionist of hundreds of other counts, for which he was sentenced Wednesday.
The WORLD piece states that the five-week trial hinged on testimony from former Gosnell employees, four of whom pleaded guilty to murder for their roles in the babies’ deaths. The workers testified to seeing babies move, takes breaths, and cry after being born following late-term abortion procedures. Gosnell also was convicted of aborting babies well past Pennsylvania’s 24-week limit. Prosecutors allege one baby was at least 30 weeks when Gosnell sliced through the baby's neck.
And, reports are continuing to surface of horrific late-term abortions and the termination of the lives of babies who survive an abortion attempt. The Christian Post has a report on an investigation into allegations that Houston-based abortionist Douglas Karpen, who operates three abortion clinics in the state, has performed illegal late-term abortions and killed babies born alive, a violation of the federal Born Alive Infant Protection Act. The Harris County District Attorney's office, spurred on by pro-life groups and Texas Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, is proceeding with its investigation.
A fourth former employee remains anonymous at this time, but is filing an affidavit about her experiences at one of Karpen's abortion clinics.
This latest video release follows on the heels of undercover videos released by the Live Action organization that expose the type of activities taking place inside various clinics and the viewpoints of the abortionists themselves.
1 - Christian groups join Tea Party, conservative organizations facing increased scrutiny from IRS
First of all, there was an admission by an Internal Revenue Service employee that certain conservative organizations had faced a heightened level of scrutiny for their activities. Then, the attention turned to Christian ministries, including pro-life organizations, who claimed some negative treatment by certain IRS employees.
Franklin Graham released a copy of a letter he had sent to President Obama citing that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, two organizations that he heads, were notified last September that the IRS would review their records for the 2010 tax year.
The IRS inquiry, he noted, occurred months after the BGEA ran ads in April 2012 supporting a North Carolina amendment that banned same-sex marriage, which passed in May. Graham wrote in his letter, "I believe that someone in the Administration was targeting and attempting to intimidate us...This is morally wrong and unethical — indeed some would call it ‘un-American.”
Pro-life groups who allegedly faced enhanced scrutiny include Christian Voices for Life, a Texas-based group which encountered delays in its application for tax-exempt status in 2011, and Coalition for Life of Iowa, which delays before getting its tax-exempt status in 2009. The Thomas More Law Center, representing the Iowa group, had outlined in 2011 what it regarded inappropriate IRS behavior - in its demand letters, the IRS has sought to know whether the group does “education on both sides of the issues,” whether members of the group “try to block people to [sic] enter a … medical clinic” during “40 Days for Life” and “Life Chain” events, whether members of the group “attempt to talk to someone trying to enter a medical clinic,” and to “please explain what you are [doing] during” 40 Days for Life and Life Chain vigils. Apparently, even the content of prayers was questioned.
Dr. James Dobson, in trying to acquire tax-exempt status for his Family Talk organization was told by an IRS representative:
Family Talk Action is ‘not educational’ because it does not present all views. She continued, saying that Family Talk Action sounded like a ‘partisan right-wing group’ because, according to Ms. Medley, it only presents conservative viewpoints. She then
added, ‘you're political’ because you ‘criticized President Obama, who was a candidate.’”
This is according to a National Religious Broadcasters report. NRB President and CEO Dr. Frank Wright said, “I am alarmed by reports that suggest a federal official at the IRS instituting a de facto Fairness Doctrine...The FCC was right to purge that pernicious policy from the Code of Federal Regulations. After driving a wooden stake in its heart, this vampire seems alive and well at the IRS."
Now a report from WORLD indicates that National Organization for Marriage intends to sue the IRS next week amid allegations that the agency leaked confidential donor information to a key political rival. In March of 2013, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which advocates for the legalization of gay marriage, released confidential NOM donor lists and addresses on its website. HRC attempted to conceal the source of the information, but NOM Chairman Dr. John Eastman said computer technicians were able to see redacted portions of the PDF document, proving it had originated from the IRS.
Eastman said HRC had been trying to secure the donor lists in order intimidate and harass groups and companies that supported the cause for traditional marriage. He said that is exactly what happened. Eastman told WORLD that donors often gave to NOM under the condition that the donations were kept anonymous, and the disclosure led to some donors refusing further gifts out of fear of retribution.
Who knows what the coming week will hold...the reports do appear to establish or at least allege a pattern that has developed with some conservative and Christian organizations who received a level of scrutiny in their dealings with some people in the IRS that perhaps comparable liberal-leaning organizations did not experience. As tough questions are asked, one would hope that the truth would prevail.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
The 3 - May 12, 2013
On this week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, some gratifying news out of Iran concerning a pastor whose plight has resulted in online action by over half-a-million people. Also, a court ruling out of Texas affirms students' rights to post Bible verses on the run-through signs prior to football games. And, the top story involves more light being shown into a brutal industry that is committed to taking the lives of pre-born babies.
3 - Pastor Saaed released from solitary confinement
This past Tuesday was Pastor Saeed Abedini's 33rd birthday. Some 52,000 letters were gathered from those standing together with the Iranian-American pastor, who has been in Iran's notorious Evin Prison since last fall, serving part of an 8-year sentence resulting from his alleged participation in Christian evangelistic efforts. Over 586,000 signatures in support of the pastor have been collected at the website, SaveSaeed.org.
Some good news came late in the week, as reported by sources such as CBN.com and WORLDontheweb.com. Saeed had been in solitary confinement for over a week, without communication with his family, and the announcement came that he had been released from the so-called "small dark hole".
The CBN report quoted Jordan Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, as saying, "This is a critical development and does raise hope after a very discouraging week."
2 - Texas cheerleaders receive favorable court ruling on Scripture banners
A major court victory for the religious expression rights of students came out of Texas this week, as a Federal District judge ruled in favor of the Kountze High School cheerleaders, who had been banned from holding up run-through banners for the football team that included Scriptures on them.
The Kountze superintendent had made the decision to halt the banners after the district received a threatening demand letter from Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. A temporary injunction allowed the cheerleaders to continue the practice through the end of the previous football season.
According to Christian legal advocacy organization, Liberty Institute, the Court’s Summary Judgment Order declares:
This victory was also made possible by the help of the Texas Attorney General.
“We especially appreciate the efforts of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who intervened into the case in support of the cheerleaders,” said Hiram Sasser, Liberty Institute’s Director of Litigation. “The extra efforts of Deputy Solicitor General Adam Aston were instrumental in the successful resolution of this case.”
1 - Live Action releases new video in its "Inhuman" series, Congressional action on abortion regulations moves ahead
A verdict is still pending in the murder trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell at the time of this post, but there are decisions being rendered all across America about the brutality of the abortion industry - every abortion is the taking of a human life, but now even pro-abortion forces are having to deal with the late-term abortion industry and those that would even take the lives of children who survive a botched abortion.
A new set of undercover videos produced by the Live Action organization featuring footage from inside abortion clinics exposes the beliefs of at least 4 abortionists about their lack of appreciation of the value of human life. The latest in the "Inhuman" series features a Midwestern abortionist named Leroy Carhart, who made some graphic and inappropriate comments to the Live Action representative, posing as a woman desiring a late-term abortion. These videos are serving to put faces on players in the abortion industry, and paint a less-than-flattering pictures of an industry that has operated in the shadows for far too long.
The LiveAction.org website says that, "Gosnell is not alone. Videos document the blatantly inhuman and barbaric acts of abortionists leaving crying babies to die, or even killing the newborns themselves."
And, there are other efforts to expose the abortion industry. The continued calls for the media to cover the Gosnell trial have resulted in even some media members criticizing the lack of coverage. A U.S. Senator attempted to pass a resolution this week to condemn the practices of Gosnell and his ilk - because it was the type of vote that could be stopped by just one opposing vote, it failed. And, WORLD reports that two U.S. House committees have launched nationwide campaigns earlier this week to investigate the prevalence of poorly regulated abortion facilities similar to the kind Kermit Gosnell ran in Philadelphia for 17 years.
3 - Pastor Saaed released from solitary confinement
This past Tuesday was Pastor Saeed Abedini's 33rd birthday. Some 52,000 letters were gathered from those standing together with the Iranian-American pastor, who has been in Iran's notorious Evin Prison since last fall, serving part of an 8-year sentence resulting from his alleged participation in Christian evangelistic efforts. Over 586,000 signatures in support of the pastor have been collected at the website, SaveSaeed.org.
Some good news came late in the week, as reported by sources such as CBN.com and WORLDontheweb.com. Saeed had been in solitary confinement for over a week, without communication with his family, and the announcement came that he had been released from the so-called "small dark hole".
The CBN report quoted Jordan Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, as saying, "This is a critical development and does raise hope after a very discouraging week."
Saeed's wife, Nagmeh Abedini, called his release the "direct result of the multitudes praying."
"I am relieved my husband is out of solitary, but still am deeply concerned about Saeed's health," she said. "While this is a small victory, I am still demanding justice be done and that Saeed be released.
She would like for President Obama to speak out on behalf of her husband. She says the president has been quick to offer support to others, such as gay basketball player Jason Collins, but is ignoring her family's plight. Secretary of State Kerry and Press Secretary Jay Carney have called on Iran to release Saeed, but there were reports that Abedini's name was missing from a State Department list of political prisoners in Iran.
2 - Texas cheerleaders receive favorable court ruling on Scripture banners
A major court victory for the religious expression rights of students came out of Texas this week, as a Federal District judge ruled in favor of the Kountze High School cheerleaders, who had been banned from holding up run-through banners for the football team that included Scriptures on them.
The Kountze superintendent had made the decision to halt the banners after the district received a threatening demand letter from Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. A temporary injunction allowed the cheerleaders to continue the practice through the end of the previous football season.
According to Christian legal advocacy organization, Liberty Institute, the Court’s Summary Judgment Order declares:
- “The Kountze cheerleaders’ banners that included religious messages and were displayed during the 2012 football season were constitutionally permissible," and
- “Neither the Establishment Clause nor any other law prohibits the cheerleaders from using religious-themed banners at school sporting events. Neither the Establishment Clause nor any other law requires Kountze I.S.D. to prohibit the inclusion of religious-themed banners at school sporting events.”
This victory was also made possible by the help of the Texas Attorney General.
“We especially appreciate the efforts of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who intervened into the case in support of the cheerleaders,” said Hiram Sasser, Liberty Institute’s Director of Litigation. “The extra efforts of Deputy Solicitor General Adam Aston were instrumental in the successful resolution of this case.”
1 - Live Action releases new video in its "Inhuman" series, Congressional action on abortion regulations moves ahead
A verdict is still pending in the murder trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell at the time of this post, but there are decisions being rendered all across America about the brutality of the abortion industry - every abortion is the taking of a human life, but now even pro-abortion forces are having to deal with the late-term abortion industry and those that would even take the lives of children who survive a botched abortion.
A new set of undercover videos produced by the Live Action organization featuring footage from inside abortion clinics exposes the beliefs of at least 4 abortionists about their lack of appreciation of the value of human life. The latest in the "Inhuman" series features a Midwestern abortionist named Leroy Carhart, who made some graphic and inappropriate comments to the Live Action representative, posing as a woman desiring a late-term abortion. These videos are serving to put faces on players in the abortion industry, and paint a less-than-flattering pictures of an industry that has operated in the shadows for far too long.
The LiveAction.org website says that, "Gosnell is not alone. Videos document the blatantly inhuman and barbaric acts of abortionists leaving crying babies to die, or even killing the newborns themselves."
And, there are other efforts to expose the abortion industry. The continued calls for the media to cover the Gosnell trial have resulted in even some media members criticizing the lack of coverage. A U.S. Senator attempted to pass a resolution this week to condemn the practices of Gosnell and his ilk - because it was the type of vote that could be stopped by just one opposing vote, it failed. And, WORLD reports that two U.S. House committees have launched nationwide campaigns earlier this week to investigate the prevalence of poorly regulated abortion facilities similar to the kind Kermit Gosnell ran in Philadelphia for 17 years.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia and Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee Chairman Trent Franks of Arizona sent a letter to all fifty state attorney generals, asking them to report on efforts to protect the rights of babies and mothers in their states. They also asked for reports on the prosecution process against a person who kills a baby born alive during an abortion and on measures designed to prevent late-term abortions.
But, Gallup indicates that the majority of Americans are still not paying attention - that's why some of these other efforts are important in building a body of evidence about the brutality of the abortion industry. One-quarter of Americans say they have followed news of the case either very closely (7%) or somewhat closely (18%), but that is well below the 61% average level of attention Americans have paid to the more than 200 news stories Gallup has measured since 1991. An additional 20% of Americans say they are following it "not too closely" while 54% say "not at all." This makes the Gosnell case one of the least followed news stories Gallup has measured.
The poll summary linked to an earlier survey that showed 80% of Americans were opposed to abortion in the third trimester. The summary says that, "One of the clearest messages from Gallup trends is that Americans oppose late-term abortion. As a result, the publicity surrounding Congress' attempt in 1997 to ban a particular late-term abortion procedure known as partial-birth abortion likely caused more Americans to identify as pro-life."
In the latest poll, Gallup reports that 26% of Americans favor legalized abortion under any circumstances, with 13% favoring legality under most circumstances, 38% favoring it in only in a few circumstances, and 20% saying it should be illegal in all circumstances. Add those last 2 categories together, and you find, as the Susan B. Anthony list put it, 58% of Americans believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
The light of truth is certainly being shone on the abortion industry, and combined with the knowledge of the development of an unborn child in the womb through ultrasound technology, hearts and minds perhaps will be changed about the sanctity of life.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
The 3 - May 5, 2013
This edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", includes the response to an NBA player admitting his homosexuality and how people of faith have united behind an ESPN commentator that doesn't exactly think this revelation should be celebrated. Also, the subject of religious liberty in the armed forces reached a whole new level this week as scrutiny was given to the military's policy on sharing your faith and who might be shaping that policy. The top story: the observance of the National Day of Prayer at thousands of locales across America, reminding us of the power and significance of united prayer.
3 - NBA player "comes out", ESPN commentator shares Biblical perspective, gains support from Christian leaders
The news travelled swiftly - the first professional player in a men's major sport to admit that he was gay, according to a piece in Sports Illustrated. And, while there are those that lauded Jason Collins for his admission, calling him courageous and assorted other positive accolades, there were also those that were either indifferent to the admission (you could make the case that a player's sexuality shouldn't be a matter of discussion), or expressed concern that Collins should not have received the attention or the affirmation.
One of those that was none too happy about Collins' revelation was an ESPN commentator named Chris Broussard. In a discussion aired on the "worldwide leader", he said:
Broussard did make a non-apologetic follow-up statement, though. He said,
The Christian Post reported that in a teleconference on Thursday sponsored by the K.I.N.G. men's organization, of which Brossard is president, he said, "Even though I'm getting a lot of hate God is being glorified." He stated, "I'm getting such an outpouring of support from Christians throughout the country and even throughout the world. I've had several big name pastors call me or tweet in support of me. I've had NBA players and coaches and management call me in support."
John Piper is one of those pastors. In a tweet directing his fans to the link on Broussard's commentary, Piper, former pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota, wrote: "Chris Broussard. This is solid steel in a world of cattails."
Yes, this is yet another example of someone who has dared to express a contrary, and Biblical, opinion toward accepting homosexual practice in our society. And, it shows the intolerance by those promoting the gay agenda for opposing viewpoints that we see all too often on these matters. It is clear that there are many who are not pushing for equality or a level playing field, but forced subservience to their view concerning the normalization and legitimization of homosexual behavior. This viewpoint should not prevent Christians from speaking firmly, yet gracefully about God's view of sexuality.
2 - Role of religion in military becomes prevalent topic after news emerges about possible new guidelines
The column also, according to Klukowski, approvingly quotes MRFF Advisory Board member Larry Wilkerson as saying, “Sexual assault and proselytizing, according to Wilkerson, ‘are absolutely destructive of the bonds that keep soldiers together.’” Ken goes on to say:
By Friday, the same military spokesman who had previously said, "Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense..." and, "Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis...”, was saying this concerning religious freedom in the military: “Service members can share their faith (evangelize), but not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one’s beliefs (proselytization).”
According to a CitizenLink report, the ADF is not particularly convinced by the new comments. ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue said, “We appreciate the Pentagon’s clarification, but little or no evidence exists of coercive proselytization in the military, so we are troubled over what motivated the original comments."
The Defense Department has attempted to clarify, and according to The Tennessean, the same military spokesman said, "... all service members are free to exercise their constitutional right to practice their religion in a manner that is respectful of other individuals’ rights to follow their own belief systems; and in ways that are conducive to good order and discipline; and that do not detract from accomplishing the military mission."
This seems reassuring, but some lingering questions for people of faith need to be answered:
- what is the difference between evangelizing and proselytization? Apparently, coercion and lack of consent would come into play, but what constitutes coercion? Could someone merely sharing about the hope within them to someone who is less than willing to hear be interpreted as coercion, even though that was not the intent?
- is there some sort of new policy on religious expression that is being considered for the military?
- why did military leadership include Weinstein in its meetings on implementing policy on religious expression, especially since his definitions of the words stated above would probably be glaringly different than the views of a plurality religious people within the military, including chaplains?
While I and most mainstream Christians would not endorse coercion within the ranks of the armed forces, it is important for our military members to know exactly what the lines are and to be assured that their constitutional rights of freedom of religion are being upheld.
1 - National Day of Prayer unites believers to call on God for our nation
At city halls and county courthouses, in churches and civic centers across America, people joined together on Thursday to offer prayers to God, calling out to Him with one voice. According to the NDP Task Force, 50 Governors and the President of the United States proclaimed the 62nd annual National Day of Prayer as millions of Americans gathered from coast to coast in solemn assembly. The Task Force says it was the single, largest mobilized effort to prayer in the history of our nation with more than 42,000 events held nationally.
The Cannon House Office Building was the setting for the National Observance on Thursday morning, which featured keynote speaker, Honorary Chairman, Greg Laurie, who said, according to the NDP Task Force website, “With God nothing is impossible and God can turn America around.” After his powerful words of affirmation, hope and inspiration, he closed with the reading of the national prayer.
Finally, according to the site, it was Rear Admiral William D. Lee who ended the 3-hour event with five, yes 5, standing ovations. He gave a desperate appeal for prayer asking all to lift up the armed forces at such a critical time in our nation’s history. “Pray that we will be able to weather the storm that I am almost certain will come – that we will not be required to put aside our Constitutional rights,” he said. The message was spoken from the heart, no doubt in response to the concerns emerging during the previous week about religious freedom in the military.
Shirley Dobson, Task Force Chairperson, her husband, Dr. James Dobson, Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt and Congressional colleague Frank Wolf, Pat Boone, U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black, and Vonette Bright, Campus Crusade for Christ co-founder were also included in the national celebration.
And, that night, the OneCry Prayer Summit was broadcast to some 500 radio stations across the nation, including a variety of speakers and musical artists. An initiative of Life Action Ministries, the OneCry is a movement of believers who are urgently crying out to God to revive the church and transform the culture.
The National Day of Prayer is an important day, but it should transcend mere symbolism to motivate God's people to significant prayer and action. In desperate times, we must bow our hearts before God and demonstrate a passionate dependence on Him, believing that He will make Himself known as we honor Him and humble ourselves before the hand of Almighty God.
3 - NBA player "comes out", ESPN commentator shares Biblical perspective, gains support from Christian leaders
The news travelled swiftly - the first professional player in a men's major sport to admit that he was gay, according to a piece in Sports Illustrated. And, while there are those that lauded Jason Collins for his admission, calling him courageous and assorted other positive accolades, there were also those that were either indifferent to the admission (you could make the case that a player's sexuality shouldn't be a matter of discussion), or expressed concern that Collins should not have received the attention or the affirmation.
One of those that was none too happy about Collins' revelation was an ESPN commentator named Chris Broussard. In a discussion aired on the "worldwide leader", he said:
Personally, I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you're openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin. If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ..."
And, he made a very strong statement about the fruit of someone claiming to be a believer in Christ:
"I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian."Well, Broussard definitely drew his share of opposition, he was called homophobic and there were calls for his ouster. ESPN did apologize for Chris' comments, but did not require Broussard to issue an apology. CitizenLink and the Manhattan Declaration stood with him, encouraging people to send comments of support to ESPN.
Broussard did make a non-apologetic follow-up statement, though. He said,
...I offered my personal opinion as it relates to Christianity, a point of view that I have expressed publicly before. I realize that some people disagree with my opinion and I accept and respect that. As has been the case in the past, my beliefs have not and will not impact my ability to report on the NBA. I believe Jason Collins displayed bravery with his announcement today and I have no objection to him or anyone else playing in the NBA.PGA golfer Bubba Watson had tweeted out support for the commentator, who had claimed that there are those in the NBA who share his views, but who do not express that perspective because they do not want to be labeled.
The Christian Post reported that in a teleconference on Thursday sponsored by the K.I.N.G. men's organization, of which Brossard is president, he said, "Even though I'm getting a lot of hate God is being glorified." He stated, "I'm getting such an outpouring of support from Christians throughout the country and even throughout the world. I've had several big name pastors call me or tweet in support of me. I've had NBA players and coaches and management call me in support."
John Piper is one of those pastors. In a tweet directing his fans to the link on Broussard's commentary, Piper, former pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota, wrote: "Chris Broussard. This is solid steel in a world of cattails."
Yes, this is yet another example of someone who has dared to express a contrary, and Biblical, opinion toward accepting homosexual practice in our society. And, it shows the intolerance by those promoting the gay agenda for opposing viewpoints that we see all too often on these matters. It is clear that there are many who are not pushing for equality or a level playing field, but forced subservience to their view concerning the normalization and legitimization of homosexual behavior. This viewpoint should not prevent Christians from speaking firmly, yet gracefully about God's view of sexuality.
2 - Role of religion in military becomes prevalent topic after news emerges about possible new guidelines
Over the course of the past week, concern has escalated regarding religious freedom in the military. Recent reports of an Army training presentation citing evangelicals and Catholics as extremists and an e-mail from an Army officer decrying certain Christian organizations for their extremism pale by comparison to a scathing editorial that was published in the Huffington Post on April 16 by a certain Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. A quote from the piece led a recent column by Ken Klukowski of the Family Research Council on Breitbart.com:
“Today, we face incredibly well-funded gangs of fundamentalist Christian monsters who terrorize their fellow Americans by forcing their weaponized and twisted version of Christianity upon their helpless subordinates in our nation’s armed forces.”Klukowski goes on to write about a Washington Post piece by Sally Quinn that references an April 23 meeting that included Weinstein, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, some military officials, and oh, yes, a military chaplain, that presumably dealt with the implementation of new policy in the military concerning religious expression.
The column also, according to Klukowski, approvingly quotes MRFF Advisory Board member Larry Wilkerson as saying, “Sexual assault and proselytizing, according to Wilkerson, ‘are absolutely destructive of the bonds that keep soldiers together.’” Ken goes on to say:
Did you get that? They say having someone share the Christian gospel with you is akin to being raped. Weinstein makes sure there are no doubts, being quoted by the Post as adding, “This is a national security threat. What is happening [aside from sexual assault] is spiritual rape. And what the Pentagon needs is to understand is that it is sedition and treason. It should be punished.”
Another MRFF Advisory Board member, Ambassador Joe Wilson (the far-left husband of CIA employee Valerie Plame from the Iraq War’s yellow-cake uranium scandal a decade ago), said a military chaplain “is to minister to spiritual needs. You don’t proselytize. It’s a workplace violation.”
In other words, it should be the official policy of the United States to decree what a human being’s spiritual needs are, and punish for violations a military officer who is an ordained clergyman who attempts to share his own personal faith with another service member when discussing religious matters.Some very troubling material, indeed. The Family Research Council got out front of the story, put a petition to the Secretary of Defense online, and very quickly gathered thousands of signatures. The Alliance Defending Freedom launched another offensive by filing a Freedom of Information Act request for e-mails relative to MRFF involvement in shaping and enforcing this policy.
By Friday, the same military spokesman who had previously said, "Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense..." and, "Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis...”, was saying this concerning religious freedom in the military: “Service members can share their faith (evangelize), but not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one’s beliefs (proselytization).”
According to a CitizenLink report, the ADF is not particularly convinced by the new comments. ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue said, “We appreciate the Pentagon’s clarification, but little or no evidence exists of coercive proselytization in the military, so we are troubled over what motivated the original comments."
The Defense Department has attempted to clarify, and according to The Tennessean, the same military spokesman said, "... all service members are free to exercise their constitutional right to practice their religion in a manner that is respectful of other individuals’ rights to follow their own belief systems; and in ways that are conducive to good order and discipline; and that do not detract from accomplishing the military mission."
This seems reassuring, but some lingering questions for people of faith need to be answered:
- what is the difference between evangelizing and proselytization? Apparently, coercion and lack of consent would come into play, but what constitutes coercion? Could someone merely sharing about the hope within them to someone who is less than willing to hear be interpreted as coercion, even though that was not the intent?
- is there some sort of new policy on religious expression that is being considered for the military?
- why did military leadership include Weinstein in its meetings on implementing policy on religious expression, especially since his definitions of the words stated above would probably be glaringly different than the views of a plurality religious people within the military, including chaplains?
While I and most mainstream Christians would not endorse coercion within the ranks of the armed forces, it is important for our military members to know exactly what the lines are and to be assured that their constitutional rights of freedom of religion are being upheld.
1 - National Day of Prayer unites believers to call on God for our nation
At city halls and county courthouses, in churches and civic centers across America, people joined together on Thursday to offer prayers to God, calling out to Him with one voice. According to the NDP Task Force, 50 Governors and the President of the United States proclaimed the 62nd annual National Day of Prayer as millions of Americans gathered from coast to coast in solemn assembly. The Task Force says it was the single, largest mobilized effort to prayer in the history of our nation with more than 42,000 events held nationally.
The Cannon House Office Building was the setting for the National Observance on Thursday morning, which featured keynote speaker, Honorary Chairman, Greg Laurie, who said, according to the NDP Task Force website, “With God nothing is impossible and God can turn America around.” After his powerful words of affirmation, hope and inspiration, he closed with the reading of the national prayer.
Finally, according to the site, it was Rear Admiral William D. Lee who ended the 3-hour event with five, yes 5, standing ovations. He gave a desperate appeal for prayer asking all to lift up the armed forces at such a critical time in our nation’s history. “Pray that we will be able to weather the storm that I am almost certain will come – that we will not be required to put aside our Constitutional rights,” he said. The message was spoken from the heart, no doubt in response to the concerns emerging during the previous week about religious freedom in the military.
Shirley Dobson, Task Force Chairperson, her husband, Dr. James Dobson, Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt and Congressional colleague Frank Wolf, Pat Boone, U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black, and Vonette Bright, Campus Crusade for Christ co-founder were also included in the national celebration.
And, that night, the OneCry Prayer Summit was broadcast to some 500 radio stations across the nation, including a variety of speakers and musical artists. An initiative of Life Action Ministries, the OneCry is a movement of believers who are urgently crying out to God to revive the church and transform the culture.
The National Day of Prayer is an important day, but it should transcend mere symbolism to motivate God's people to significant prayer and action. In desperate times, we must bow our hearts before God and demonstrate a passionate dependence on Him, believing that He will make Himself known as we honor Him and humble ourselves before the hand of Almighty God.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
The 3 - April 28, 2013
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, all relate in some form or fashion to the topic of religious liberty - one story involves a homeschool family that came to America from Germany seeking out the freedom to teach their children at home, another story involves the narrative that continues to proliferate concerning the right of military men and women to practice their faith. And, the top story area involves religious freedom protection in one state, and another state's court victory preserving a religious liberties bill passed last year.
3 - Homeschool family from Germany faces U.S. appeals court for right to stay in U.S.
In 2010, after being denied a right to homeschool their children by officials in their native country of Germany, Uwe and Hannelore Romeike moved their family to the United States, where they were granted asylum by a district court in Tennessee. The Romeikes had decided to teach their children at home because they believed that the public schools in Germany were teaching values in opposition to their Christian beliefs. They were forced to pay fines and their children were forcibly removed from their home and taken to the public school. The Romeikes have 6 children.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement appealed the district court's decision in 2012, and the Board of Immigration Appeals agreed with the government. From there, the case was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The U.S. Justice Department is defending the Board's ruling. Hearings were held before a three-judge panel in the Sixth Circuit this week.
Michael Farris, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, which is defending the family, tweeted out, according to The Christian Post, "The oral arguments are over. Tough questions were asked on both sides, and it's hard to predict the outcome, but, I argued before the California Circuit Court and was convinced I lost, but ended up winning. God can intervene."
A petition drive in support of the German family has yield over 120,000 signatures on a website that is tied in to WhiteHouse.gov.
2 - Military faith slights, real or perceived, continue to surface
It does seem that there have been a number of stories recently involving the U.S. military and its policies toward people of faith. One of the leading stories recently involved an Army training presentation that labeled evangelicals and Catholics as extremist groups. That preceded the report of an Army officer's e-mail that referred to the American Family Association and Family Research Council as organizations about which to be concerned.
Now, according to the Christian Examiner website, the Army has banned what are referred to as "Jesus rifles", in which verses of Scripture are etched into the scopes.
Based on a Fox News report, 2 New Testament references, John 8:12 and II Corinthians 4:6, were engraved at the end of the scopes’ serial numbers by the company Trijicom, a Michigan-based defense contractor.
Soldiers at Fort Wainwright in Alaska said that they were directed to submit their scopes in order for the references to be removed. Military personnel were to scrape off the scripture reference, verify that the reference is completely gone, and then cover the area with black paint.
Army officials stated that the scopes didn't meet the contract, and the vendor replied that the inscriptions had always been on the sights and there was nothing wrong or illegal about including them.
So, in light of regular reports of religious expression being curtailed within the military, you can certainly understand where there would be concern over reports over military chaplains who had discovered that SBC.net, the website of the Southern Baptist Convention, had been blocked. The message that was received by those attempting to access the site was rather ominous, making reference to "hostile content".
Baptist Press reports that the website has now been unblocked, and that the reason for the restriction was that malware had been detected within the site, which has now been deemed safe for use. Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, a Defense Department spokesman, is quoted as saying that, "The Department of Defense is not intentionally blocking access to this site...The Department of Defense strongly supports the religious rights of service members, to include their ability to access religious websites like that of the SBC."
Chris Chapman of the SBC says that, "Unfortunately, SBC.net has joined the ranks of other major organizations that are targets for hackers, detractors and activists. Those engaged in destructive creativity will exploit the continuing development of new technologies to cause new harm and threats of harm continually, so this latest challenge is, for us, just another one of the sort we deal with every day." A member of the SBC Executive Committee, Roger Oldham, cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
Keep moving, nothing to see here? Perhaps in this case, yes, but the narrative is continuing to build concerning the religious liberties of men and women in uniform, so it's important to keep tracking various instances, recognizing the importance of the rights of our troops being preserved.
1 - Religious liberties victories in 2 states
There is definite concern over religious liberties on a national level, most recently typlified by the number of religious groups and companies with Christian leadership that have filed suit against the Obamacare contraception mandate.
Some state legislatures have written into their laws language that is intended to protect religious freedom. The latest state to pass a law to protect religious liberties is Kansas, where Governor Brownback signed into law the Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, which, according to CitizenLink, writes into state law the same strict legal protections for religious liberty that currently exist in the federal judicial system. The stricter standards have been in place at the federal level since Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 1993 in response to weakening judicial standards protecting religious liberties. RFRA passed the US House of Representatives unanimously and won approval in the US Senate by a margin of 97 to 3 before President Clinton signed it into law.
In 1997, the Supreme Court struck down the act’s ability to mandate such protections in state courts. Since then, nearly 20 states have passed legislation designed to protect religious liberties. The first was Alabama, in the 1998 election, which passed a Constitutional Amendment that wrote those protection into the state's constitution.
And, on the religious liberties front, last year, Missouri passed the Missouri House of Worship Protection Act, signed by Governor Nixon. And, CitizenLink reports that on Friday, a federal judge ruled in favor of the law, which protects houses of worship from profane, rude or indecent behavior or noise intended to disrupt a service.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a lawsuit against the law on behalf of two activist groups that protest outside Catholic churches. The groups claimed in their lawsuit that the provisions in the statute did not allow them to share their message with members of religious congregations.
U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber ruled that the law did not violate the First Amendment because it is content neutral, meaning it only restricts speech “when it is disruptive because of its manner, not its content…. The Court finds that the State’s purpose for regulation here, to protect the free exercise of religion, is unrelated to the content of the individual’s speech.”
Joe Ortwerth, president of the Missouri Family Policy Council, said that,“We thank God for Judge Webber’s decision, which helps ensure that the hostile efforts of those who would deny others the free exercise of their religion will be met with the force of law.”
3 - Homeschool family from Germany faces U.S. appeals court for right to stay in U.S.
In 2010, after being denied a right to homeschool their children by officials in their native country of Germany, Uwe and Hannelore Romeike moved their family to the United States, where they were granted asylum by a district court in Tennessee. The Romeikes had decided to teach their children at home because they believed that the public schools in Germany were teaching values in opposition to their Christian beliefs. They were forced to pay fines and their children were forcibly removed from their home and taken to the public school. The Romeikes have 6 children.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement appealed the district court's decision in 2012, and the Board of Immigration Appeals agreed with the government. From there, the case was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The U.S. Justice Department is defending the Board's ruling. Hearings were held before a three-judge panel in the Sixth Circuit this week.
Michael Farris, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, which is defending the family, tweeted out, according to The Christian Post, "The oral arguments are over. Tough questions were asked on both sides, and it's hard to predict the outcome, but, I argued before the California Circuit Court and was convinced I lost, but ended up winning. God can intervene."
A petition drive in support of the German family has yield over 120,000 signatures on a website that is tied in to WhiteHouse.gov.
2 - Military faith slights, real or perceived, continue to surface
It does seem that there have been a number of stories recently involving the U.S. military and its policies toward people of faith. One of the leading stories recently involved an Army training presentation that labeled evangelicals and Catholics as extremist groups. That preceded the report of an Army officer's e-mail that referred to the American Family Association and Family Research Council as organizations about which to be concerned.
Now, according to the Christian Examiner website, the Army has banned what are referred to as "Jesus rifles", in which verses of Scripture are etched into the scopes.
Based on a Fox News report, 2 New Testament references, John 8:12 and II Corinthians 4:6, were engraved at the end of the scopes’ serial numbers by the company Trijicom, a Michigan-based defense contractor.
Soldiers at Fort Wainwright in Alaska said that they were directed to submit their scopes in order for the references to be removed. Military personnel were to scrape off the scripture reference, verify that the reference is completely gone, and then cover the area with black paint.
Army officials stated that the scopes didn't meet the contract, and the vendor replied that the inscriptions had always been on the sights and there was nothing wrong or illegal about including them.
Baptist Press reports that the website has now been unblocked, and that the reason for the restriction was that malware had been detected within the site, which has now been deemed safe for use. Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, a Defense Department spokesman, is quoted as saying that, "The Department of Defense is not intentionally blocking access to this site...The Department of Defense strongly supports the religious rights of service members, to include their ability to access religious websites like that of the SBC."
Chris Chapman of the SBC says that, "Unfortunately, SBC.net has joined the ranks of other major organizations that are targets for hackers, detractors and activists. Those engaged in destructive creativity will exploit the continuing development of new technologies to cause new harm and threats of harm continually, so this latest challenge is, for us, just another one of the sort we deal with every day." A member of the SBC Executive Committee, Roger Oldham, cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
Keep moving, nothing to see here? Perhaps in this case, yes, but the narrative is continuing to build concerning the religious liberties of men and women in uniform, so it's important to keep tracking various instances, recognizing the importance of the rights of our troops being preserved.
1 - Religious liberties victories in 2 states
There is definite concern over religious liberties on a national level, most recently typlified by the number of religious groups and companies with Christian leadership that have filed suit against the Obamacare contraception mandate.
Some state legislatures have written into their laws language that is intended to protect religious freedom. The latest state to pass a law to protect religious liberties is Kansas, where Governor Brownback signed into law the Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, which, according to CitizenLink, writes into state law the same strict legal protections for religious liberty that currently exist in the federal judicial system. The stricter standards have been in place at the federal level since Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 1993 in response to weakening judicial standards protecting religious liberties. RFRA passed the US House of Representatives unanimously and won approval in the US Senate by a margin of 97 to 3 before President Clinton signed it into law.
In 1997, the Supreme Court struck down the act’s ability to mandate such protections in state courts. Since then, nearly 20 states have passed legislation designed to protect religious liberties. The first was Alabama, in the 1998 election, which passed a Constitutional Amendment that wrote those protection into the state's constitution.
And, on the religious liberties front, last year, Missouri passed the Missouri House of Worship Protection Act, signed by Governor Nixon. And, CitizenLink reports that on Friday, a federal judge ruled in favor of the law, which protects houses of worship from profane, rude or indecent behavior or noise intended to disrupt a service.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a lawsuit against the law on behalf of two activist groups that protest outside Catholic churches. The groups claimed in their lawsuit that the provisions in the statute did not allow them to share their message with members of religious congregations.
U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber ruled that the law did not violate the First Amendment because it is content neutral, meaning it only restricts speech “when it is disruptive because of its manner, not its content…. The Court finds that the State’s purpose for regulation here, to protect the free exercise of religion, is unrelated to the content of the individual’s speech.”
Joe Ortwerth, president of the Missouri Family Policy Council, said that,“We thank God for Judge Webber’s decision, which helps ensure that the hostile efforts of those who would deny others the free exercise of their religion will be met with the force of law.”
Sunday, April 21, 2013
The 3 - April 21, 2013
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, is headed by the tragedies in Boston and West, Texas this week, and the Christian responses that were expressed. Also, this week marked the annual "Day of Dialogue", a Christian response to an established gay rights event in schools. Plus, thousands of Christian leaders converged on Orange County, California, to be motivated in their leadership and ability to implement and influence change.
3 - "Day of Dialogue" counters "Day of Silence"
The GLSEN-sponsored "Day of Silence" was observed in schools across America on Friday. GLSEN stands for Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Education Network, and the one of the principal purposes of the event is presumably to call attention to bullying - the alleged taunts and improper treatment that homosexual students face in school.
Christians should be on the front lines concerning bullying - no one should be devalued or victimized by hurtful words for any reason. But often, Christians end up being bullied as the result of their expressing a Biblical view of sexuality. So, gay and straight people have differing views - can there be any sort of dialogue?
The "Day of Silence" implies that the answer is "no" - and gay students and those who sympathize with them are encouraged to say not a word during that day in order to magnify their plight. But, CitizenLink, the public policy arm of Focus on the Family says, "Let's talk". They took over the sponsorship of the Day of Dialogue and changed its name from Day of Truth, in order to send a message about the importance of communication on these issues. It's quite the contrast from the silence of the following day.
According to CitizenLink:
2 - Catalyst West conference pulls together host of Christian leaders, speakers
Over 4,000 Christian leaders converged on Southern California this week to attend the Catalyst West conference at Mariners Church in Orange County. This event is an offshoot of the larger, national Catalyst event held in Atlanta each fall.
Catalyst President Brad Lomenick, who has held that position for some 10 years, told The Christian Post that: "There's so much hope we can still have in the present regardless of circumstances...We love this idea that we should be hopeful leaders, encouraging and more excited about tomorrow, but equally present in today. Part of the reason that we created an environment at Catalyst that is fun and is hopeful is to give people permission to enjoy and find joy in the present."
And, what we might call, "A-List" Christian pastors and leaders spoke at the conference, including Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Jud Wilhite, and Matt Chandler. Chandler reportedly tackled the question, "What is meant when we say God is holy and majestic, and perfect in His nature?"
He told those in attendance: "Here's why I want you to read the Bible...Disaster, suffering, and loss should never surprise us. The Bible is full of it. People die, there's rape, incest, plagues, natural disasters. It shouldn't surprise us because God didn't try to paint some different reality of what you are seeing here and now, and all around you."
Obviously, the desire of the event is to be a catalyst for change, that the leaders who attend would return to their churches and communities and be life- and hope-givers.
1 - Christians respond to tragedy in Boston, Texas
The disturbing images that filled our television and computer screens this week remind us of the fallen world in which we live, the brokenness of humanity, and how we are never really that far from tragic circumstances. This week, it was the Boston area, with the explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Also, this week, it was the small city of West, Texas, where a fertilizer plant explosion took the lives of over a dozen people.
And, these times of crisis, while serving as a reminder of human frailty, can also become a time to radiate hope. That was happening in these locales and across the nation this week.
In West, a team of 10 Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains were sent to the area, where they encountered a sense of loss in the community and became sensitive to divine appointments to share hope in the midst of turmoil.
And, pastors across the country, including Boston-area clergy, offered their words of peace and comfort amidst the desperation, according to a piece in USA Today:
Acts of kindness were prevalent throughout the city in the hours following the tragedy, as many runners and spectators were intent on helping out the victims of the 2 major explosions near the marathon finish line. There was a tremendous spirit of charity and compassion throughout the area.
And, there were thoughts that were shared about praying for the living suspect on Friday night, according to Christianity Today:
3 - "Day of Dialogue" counters "Day of Silence"
The GLSEN-sponsored "Day of Silence" was observed in schools across America on Friday. GLSEN stands for Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Education Network, and the one of the principal purposes of the event is presumably to call attention to bullying - the alleged taunts and improper treatment that homosexual students face in school.
Christians should be on the front lines concerning bullying - no one should be devalued or victimized by hurtful words for any reason. But often, Christians end up being bullied as the result of their expressing a Biblical view of sexuality. So, gay and straight people have differing views - can there be any sort of dialogue?
The "Day of Silence" implies that the answer is "no" - and gay students and those who sympathize with them are encouraged to say not a word during that day in order to magnify their plight. But, CitizenLink, the public policy arm of Focus on the Family says, "Let's talk". They took over the sponsorship of the Day of Dialogue and changed its name from Day of Truth, in order to send a message about the importance of communication on these issues. It's quite the contrast from the silence of the following day.
According to CitizenLink:
The Day of Dialogue encourages student-initiated conversations about the fact that God cares about each person’s life and relationships. Students will also be able to exercise their free speech rights by handing out Day of Dialogue “Conversation Cards” before and after class. The cards provide redemptive, encouraging messages. Many will wear Day of Dialogue T-shirts and will display posters.An estimated 7,000 students in some 46 states were expected to participate.
2 - Catalyst West conference pulls together host of Christian leaders, speakers
Over 4,000 Christian leaders converged on Southern California this week to attend the Catalyst West conference at Mariners Church in Orange County. This event is an offshoot of the larger, national Catalyst event held in Atlanta each fall.
Catalyst President Brad Lomenick, who has held that position for some 10 years, told The Christian Post that: "There's so much hope we can still have in the present regardless of circumstances...We love this idea that we should be hopeful leaders, encouraging and more excited about tomorrow, but equally present in today. Part of the reason that we created an environment at Catalyst that is fun and is hopeful is to give people permission to enjoy and find joy in the present."
And, what we might call, "A-List" Christian pastors and leaders spoke at the conference, including Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Jud Wilhite, and Matt Chandler. Chandler reportedly tackled the question, "What is meant when we say God is holy and majestic, and perfect in His nature?"
He told those in attendance: "Here's why I want you to read the Bible...Disaster, suffering, and loss should never surprise us. The Bible is full of it. People die, there's rape, incest, plagues, natural disasters. It shouldn't surprise us because God didn't try to paint some different reality of what you are seeing here and now, and all around you."
Obviously, the desire of the event is to be a catalyst for change, that the leaders who attend would return to their churches and communities and be life- and hope-givers.
1 - Christians respond to tragedy in Boston, Texas
The disturbing images that filled our television and computer screens this week remind us of the fallen world in which we live, the brokenness of humanity, and how we are never really that far from tragic circumstances. This week, it was the Boston area, with the explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Also, this week, it was the small city of West, Texas, where a fertilizer plant explosion took the lives of over a dozen people.
And, these times of crisis, while serving as a reminder of human frailty, can also become a time to radiate hope. That was happening in these locales and across the nation this week.
In West, a team of 10 Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains were sent to the area, where they encountered a sense of loss in the community and became sensitive to divine appointments to share hope in the midst of turmoil.
And, pastors across the country, including Boston-area clergy, offered their words of peace and comfort amidst the desperation, according to a piece in USA Today:
Ed Stetzer, a Baptist pastor and president of LifeWay Research, a Christian research agency based in Nashville, blogged Monday that the tragedy drives us to cry out as it says in the Bible, "Come quickly, Lord, and set things right."
Stetzer shared words from Boston-area pastors such as Brandon Levering, pastor of Westgate Church in Weston, Mass., who devoted a blog post to defeating the fear instilled by terrorism.
"There is one thing on earth that no bomb can shake, and no terror can overcome: your presence. … As our city quakes from the effects of sin in this world — the evil, the violence, the injuries and loss of life — we pray that your holy and healing presence would be made known," Levering wrote.
The troubling, persistent, demanding question of "Why?" is also addressed by Adam Mabry, pastor of Boston's Aletheia Church. His answer is the same as Levering's: sin...
"What are we to think when tragedy mingles with beauty? When pain accompanies grace? When blood spills with tears?" asks Mabry, who offers the Christian answer of turning to Jesus.
"I'm praying for my city. I'm praying for the victims. I'm praying for the first responders. I'm praying for families. But most of all, I'm praying for that grace which comes from God alone to overcome all that besets her."Stetzer coined the phrase "from Marathon to Maranatha".
Acts of kindness were prevalent throughout the city in the hours following the tragedy, as many runners and spectators were intent on helping out the victims of the 2 major explosions near the marathon finish line. There was a tremendous spirit of charity and compassion throughout the area.
And, there were thoughts that were shared about praying for the living suspect on Friday night, according to Christianity Today:
During the search for Dzhokhar, which had residents across the Boston area on lockdown for most of Friday, John Piper tweeted prayers that he be caught and his soul be saved: "My prayer for the running Boston bomber: Make his foot slip. Spare more victims. Save his soul." Following his capture, Piper indicated he would continue to pray for the suspect’s salvation, saying, “Two prayers answered. One to go.”
Huffington Post Religion quoted clergy, Catholic sites, and other Christian tweeters who were praying for Dzhokhar because “he is still a child of God” and “we are to pray for our enemies.”
LifeWay Research president Ed Stetzer sent a tweet saying, "'But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' -Jesus."There were plenty of moments for reflection during this ordeal, as we contemplate the nature of sin and the brokenness of humanity. And, we look to our Savior for comfort and hope, the One who said He would make all things new.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
The 3 - April 14, 2013
This week's edition of "The 3", includes a victory for a pro-life student group at a major university which had been denied official recognition, but that denial was overturned. Also, the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has led to a discussion of her apparently committed Christian faith. And, the top news story - a really, really bad week for the abortion industry!
3 - Johns Hopkins pro-life student group reinstated
Colleges and universities across America have seemingly become more concerned about the ideological makeup of some of their student groups. Public and private institutions have attempted to institute non-discrimination or "all-comers" policy, stating that certain groups cannot place limits on their leadership or membership makeup. And, unfortunately, these policies skew adversely toward Christian groups, who desire to embrace viewpoints consistent with Scripture and who find themselves facing increased pressure to admit those who do not share the same faith perspective into their membership and leadership.
And, an instance from Johns Hopkins University gives us another example of an attempt to discriminate against the official campus recognition against a student club or organization based on some of its viewpoints. In this case, it was the Voice for Life club (VFL), that was rejected in its quest for recognition by the student Senate because of its pro-life views and how its planned activities included sidewalk counseling outside abortion facilities.
WORLD Magazine reports that according to minutes of the March 12 meeting, during which the club was denied official recognition, members of the senate said they feared the group would “make people uncomfortable.” They also suggested the pro-life group shouldn’t get recognition because the school’s pro-abortion group had disbanded.
Enter the student Judiciary, which unanimously overturned the Senate's decision to deny recognition to VFL. School administrators said in a letter to Voice for Life organizers the school did not believe the group’s activities would violate school policy.
Carson wrote: "Commencement is about the students and their successes, and it is not about me...I want to make certain that remains so."
Seems as if Carson did not say exactly the right thing, to some, when he stated in an interview on Fox News, that "no group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality ... they don't get to change the definition" of marriage. He later apologized. Dean Rothman
released a statement calling Carson’s comments “offensive” and said the university recognizes “that tension now exists in our community because hurtful, offensive language was used by our colleague, Dr. Ben Carson, when conveying a personal opinion. Dr. Carson’s comments are inconsistent with the culture of our institution.”
So, by upholding traditional marriage and saying that no one gets to change the definition of marriage, Dr. Carson has received pressure and ultimately backed down rather than become a distraction. It's blatantly unfair to a great and compassion man who has done so much for the reputation of Johns Hopkins, but it's another indicator of the way that people's words are so easily twisted to mean something other than their intent.
2 - Thatcher passes away; closer look at Christian faith warranted
This week, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher passed away at the age of 87. The lady known as the "Iron Lady" was noted for her bold determination and her stance against Communism.
In the coverage of her death, there emerged a narrative about her devout Christian faith. Christianity Today reports that in the estimation of the British blog Cranmer, she gave a 1988 speech to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in which she said:
The Margaret Thatcher Foundation offered a 1978 interview in which she explained her view of "religion and personal responsibility." Among other comments, she cited C. S. Lewis as an influence, and said:
1 - Abortion industry on trial, another state attempts to protect women
This has not been an especially good week for the abortion industry in America. The murder trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell is underway, and the gruesome accounts continue within the courtroom about the late-term abortions inside Gosnell's "House of Horrors", including children killed after they were born. Gosnell is charged with the murder of 1 woman and 7 children inside the clinic.
This week, the controversy surrounding the media coverage of the trial hit somewhat of a fever pitch. Criticism of the media over their lack of coverage has come from Christian and conservative circles, but now even liberal journalists have begun to question why the mainstream media have not given this story the attention it deserves. According to a piece by Jill Stanek at LifeNews.com:
A "TweetFest" was organized by pro-life groups on Friday, as participants were asked to post tweets and status updates about the Gosnell trial to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, and contact their local media to ask them why they are not covering the case if they are not doing so.
"We are going to make 'new media' work on behalf of Kermit Gosnell's innocent, helpless victims. The mainstream media is acting like nothing is happening, however – if we unite & spread the word far enough, we can FORCE the media to cover this horrific story," the TweetFest Facebook event page stated.
And, while Planned Parenthood attempted to distance itself from the Gosnell clinic, the nation's largest abortion provider still actively opposes attempts by lawmakers to force abortion mills to conform to the same standards as other medical facilities. Alabama legislators passed a bill, signed this week by Gov. Robert Bentley, that would regulate the clinics within the state. And of course, the leading opponent: no surprise, Planned Parenthood.
While the Gosnell trial brought late-term and born-alive abortions to light, a Planned Parenthood representative testified several weeks ago before the Florida legislature that if a child who survives an abortion attempt is actually born, that a decision to terminate the child's life should be a personal decision between the woman and her doctor. Upon further questioning, she did not advocate that the child should be allowed to live under those circumstances.
And, if the news isn't great for the abortion industry in light of the information concerning the Gosnell trial, a new Rasmussen poll about morality of abortion, reported at LifeNews.com shows that 51% of likely voters consider abortion to be morally wrong most of the time. That’s up from an all-time low of 44% in January but more consistent with findings in surveys since March 2006. Just thirty-four percent (34%) view abortion as morally acceptable in most instances. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.
This past Monday, April 8 was "Exodus 2013: Leave Your Job in the Abortion Industry Day", which was founded by former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson. And, 5 people reported quit their jobs working in that industry (according to LifeNews.com)!! Plus, this week the Alliance Defending Freedom released a report to Congress about waste, fraud, and abuse within Planned Parenthood, which receives millions of taxpayer dollars.
So, perhaps as the truth is communicated, the stronghold of abortion is unraveling. It certainly has not been a good week for the industry, and as more revelations surface, a message consistent with the Biblical view of the sanctity of life has a greater chance of resonating with people.
3 - Johns Hopkins pro-life student group reinstated
Colleges and universities across America have seemingly become more concerned about the ideological makeup of some of their student groups. Public and private institutions have attempted to institute non-discrimination or "all-comers" policy, stating that certain groups cannot place limits on their leadership or membership makeup. And, unfortunately, these policies skew adversely toward Christian groups, who desire to embrace viewpoints consistent with Scripture and who find themselves facing increased pressure to admit those who do not share the same faith perspective into their membership and leadership.
And, an instance from Johns Hopkins University gives us another example of an attempt to discriminate against the official campus recognition against a student club or organization based on some of its viewpoints. In this case, it was the Voice for Life club (VFL), that was rejected in its quest for recognition by the student Senate because of its pro-life views and how its planned activities included sidewalk counseling outside abortion facilities.
WORLD Magazine reports that according to minutes of the March 12 meeting, during which the club was denied official recognition, members of the senate said they feared the group would “make people uncomfortable.” They also suggested the pro-life group shouldn’t get recognition because the school’s pro-abortion group had disbanded.
Enter the student Judiciary, which unanimously overturned the Senate's decision to deny recognition to VFL. School administrators said in a letter to Voice for Life organizers the school did not believe the group’s activities would violate school policy.
“A student group’s distribution of literature and advocacy of its viewpoint, in the manner set out in your email, would not constitute harassment within the meaning of these policies,” wrote Caroline Laguerre-Brown, the school’s vice provost for institutional equity. “In fact, such conduct is fully in accord with the university’s robust commitment to the values of free expression and open debate that is articulated in these policies.”
Unfortunately, this is not the only recent occurrence of extreme political correctness exercised at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Ben Carson, renowned pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital, was scheduled to deliver the commencement address at the University's graduation. Fox News reported that Dr. Carson sent medical school Dean Paul Rothman a letter saying that he didn’t want to “distract from the celebratory nature of the day."
Seems as if Carson did not say exactly the right thing, to some, when he stated in an interview on Fox News, that "no group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality ... they don't get to change the definition" of marriage. He later apologized. Dean Rothman
released a statement calling Carson’s comments “offensive” and said the university recognizes “that tension now exists in our community because hurtful, offensive language was used by our colleague, Dr. Ben Carson, when conveying a personal opinion. Dr. Carson’s comments are inconsistent with the culture of our institution.”
So, by upholding traditional marriage and saying that no one gets to change the definition of marriage, Dr. Carson has received pressure and ultimately backed down rather than become a distraction. It's blatantly unfair to a great and compassion man who has done so much for the reputation of Johns Hopkins, but it's another indicator of the way that people's words are so easily twisted to mean something other than their intent.
2 - Thatcher passes away; closer look at Christian faith warranted
This week, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher passed away at the age of 87. The lady known as the "Iron Lady" was noted for her bold determination and her stance against Communism.
In the coverage of her death, there emerged a narrative about her devout Christian faith. Christianity Today reports that in the estimation of the British blog Cranmer, she gave a 1988 speech to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in which she said:
"We must not profess the Christian faith and go to Church simply because we want social reforms and benefits or a better standard of behavior...but because we accept the sanctity of life, the responsibility that comes with freedom and the supreme sacrifice of Christ."Christianity Today referenced The Economist, which published Thatcher's so-called "Sermon on the Mound", delivered at that General Assembly. She posed the question:
What then are the distinctive marks of Christianity?She said,
They stem not from the social but from the spiritual side of our lives, and personally, I would identify three beliefs in particular:
First, that from the beginning man has been endowed by God with the fundamental right to choose between good and evil. And second, that we were made in God's own image and, therefore, we are expected to use all our own power of thought and judgement in exercising that choice; and further, that if we open our hearts to God, He has promised to work within us. And third, that Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when faced with His terrible choice and lonely vigil chose to lay down His life that our sins may be forgiven. I remember very well a sermon on an Armistice Sunday when our Preacher said, "No one took away the life of Jesus , He chose to lay it down".She went on to quote the hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross".
The Margaret Thatcher Foundation offered a 1978 interview in which she explained her view of "religion and personal responsibility." Among other comments, she cited C. S. Lewis as an influence, and said:
"Methodism is the most marvellous evangelical faith and there is the most marvellous love and feeling for music in the Methodist Church which I think is greater than in the Anglican Church. But you sometimes feel the need for a slightly more formal service and perhaps a little bit more formality in the underlying theology too.
"So throughout my life I have felt the need for both things, to some extent for the informality, for the works you do; but always I found myself groping out for more of the actual teaching of the religious basis. As I say, I went for something a little more formal. I suppose it's first one's belief and then one's background."So, you have the case of a major world leader who has lost her life, and someone whom we discovered had laid down her life to enjoy spiritual pursuits and a relationship with Christ. Apparently, this worldview informed the decisions she made and the policies she professed.
1 - Abortion industry on trial, another state attempts to protect women
This has not been an especially good week for the abortion industry in America. The murder trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell is underway, and the gruesome accounts continue within the courtroom about the late-term abortions inside Gosnell's "House of Horrors", including children killed after they were born. Gosnell is charged with the murder of 1 woman and 7 children inside the clinic.
This week, the controversy surrounding the media coverage of the trial hit somewhat of a fever pitch. Criticism of the media over their lack of coverage has come from Christian and conservative circles, but now even liberal journalists have begun to question why the mainstream media have not given this story the attention it deserves. According to a piece by Jill Stanek at LifeNews.com:
...in the case of Gosnell we are seeing something rare, mea culpas, such as at the Washington Post and The Daily Beast. Some of the blinders are lifting, thanks in large part to Kirsten Powers, who has pointed out the Gosnell case is so obviously over the top.
In the days to come there will likely be plenty of room for righteous indignation regarding the media’s treatment of Gosnell...But I am also now trying to be sensitive to those mea culpas as well as those in the liberal press who are doing a bit of soul searching...CNN reportedly led Anderson Cooper 360 with the Gosnell case on the Friday edition.
A "TweetFest" was organized by pro-life groups on Friday, as participants were asked to post tweets and status updates about the Gosnell trial to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, and contact their local media to ask them why they are not covering the case if they are not doing so.
"We are going to make 'new media' work on behalf of Kermit Gosnell's innocent, helpless victims. The mainstream media is acting like nothing is happening, however – if we unite & spread the word far enough, we can FORCE the media to cover this horrific story," the TweetFest Facebook event page stated.
And, while Planned Parenthood attempted to distance itself from the Gosnell clinic, the nation's largest abortion provider still actively opposes attempts by lawmakers to force abortion mills to conform to the same standards as other medical facilities. Alabama legislators passed a bill, signed this week by Gov. Robert Bentley, that would regulate the clinics within the state. And of course, the leading opponent: no surprise, Planned Parenthood.
While the Gosnell trial brought late-term and born-alive abortions to light, a Planned Parenthood representative testified several weeks ago before the Florida legislature that if a child who survives an abortion attempt is actually born, that a decision to terminate the child's life should be a personal decision between the woman and her doctor. Upon further questioning, she did not advocate that the child should be allowed to live under those circumstances.
And, if the news isn't great for the abortion industry in light of the information concerning the Gosnell trial, a new Rasmussen poll about morality of abortion, reported at LifeNews.com shows that 51% of likely voters consider abortion to be morally wrong most of the time. That’s up from an all-time low of 44% in January but more consistent with findings in surveys since March 2006. Just thirty-four percent (34%) view abortion as morally acceptable in most instances. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.
This past Monday, April 8 was "Exodus 2013: Leave Your Job in the Abortion Industry Day", which was founded by former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson. And, 5 people reported quit their jobs working in that industry (according to LifeNews.com)!! Plus, this week the Alliance Defending Freedom released a report to Congress about waste, fraud, and abuse within Planned Parenthood, which receives millions of taxpayer dollars.
So, perhaps as the truth is communicated, the stronghold of abortion is unraveling. It certainly has not been a good week for the industry, and as more revelations surface, a message consistent with the Biblical view of the sanctity of life has a greater chance of resonating with people.
Monday, April 08, 2013
The 3 - April 7, 2013
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes another instance of labeling evangelical Christians as extreme, the suicide of the son of a high-profile minister, and a judge's ruling concerning unrestricted access for young girls to the so-called "morning-after pill".
3 - ADF posts Army training presentation labeling evangelical Christians "extreme"
A proposed U.S. Army Reserve training brief is said to contain a slide in a PowerPoint presentation labeling evangelical Christians, as well as Catholics, as "extreme" or "extremist". The presentation, which was obtained and posted online by legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, indicates that the Army Reserve in Pennsylvania considers evangelical Christians, Catholics, and Mormons as dangerous as the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, and Hamas.
Chaplain Ron Crews, Executive Director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, also condemned the presentation. In a statement, he said that, “Men and women of faith who have served the Army faithfully for centuries shouldn’t be likened to those who have regularly threatened the peace and security of the United States...It is dishonorable for any U.S. military entity to allow this type of wrongheaded characterization.”
This brought to mind the 2009 Homeland Security document on so-called "right-wing extremism" that read, according to the Media Research Center's NewsBusters website:
2 - Suicide of Rick Warren's son brings attention to mental illness and depression
It was easily the talk of my Facebook news feed yesterday, as the tragic news from Southern California made headlines not only among Christians but in news media in general. The 27-year-old son of Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, Matthew, the youngest of the Warrens' three children, died of an apparent suicide on Friday night.
Pastor Warren sent an e-mail to the congregation on Saturday morning (excerpt from Christianity Today's website). It said, in part:
Holladay's sermon was based on 1 Samuel 30, which is about David coming back from the battle and finding out that the entire town of Ziklag had been wiped out. The response of David and his people is a model for us to deal with a situation where hope seems distant, he said.
Holladay shared five things they did, and requested the audience to pray for Rick and Kay to walk through those steps:
1) Weep
2) Do not get bitter
3) Encourage others
4) Look to the future with hope
5) Attack evil.
Not only does the suicide of Matthew Warren gives us the opportunity to pray for Rick and Kay Warren, but we can be challenged as the body of Christ to look for ways to intervene in the lives of those who suffer from depression or even mental illness. While there are those have been taught that suicide is the unforgivable sin, the church at large, I believe, has now refined its perspective to recognize that there is adversity or despondency so great that people will take their own life. It is important to recognize the warning signs, if they are there, and take bold and compassionate steps to provide hope and direction. And, there has been a stigmatization in the church about mental health issues, and we must recognize that a battle with depression or other mental factors, which often have a chemical root, is not a sign of spiritual insufficiency. You can certainly walk deeply with Christ but still suffer with mentally-related conditions. Our challenge is to rush headlong and help and not run or turn a blind eye. And, this occurrence should not be used to look at Rick and Kay Warren in a negative light. Pastors - and many others - have been known to raise troubled children...it's not necessarily a reflection of some sort of parenting deficiency, rather, it is a reminder that we teach the principles, we love our kids, and leave the results up to God.
1 - Judge's decision on morning-after bill alarms pro-life groups
In a ruling that has some strong moral implications, a federal judge in New York has ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make the Plan B "morning-after pill" available without prescription to all women, including teenagers younger than 17 years of age.
According to a report on the CitizenLink website, the ruling comes after HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled a government panel recommendation in 2011 to sell the possible abortion-causing drug over-the-counter to girls as young as 11 without a prescription. At the time, Sebelius said she was concerned about young girls having access to the drug without doctor supervision.
CitizenLink relates that the Morning After Pill (MAP) is a term coined to describe a series of pills given to women within 72 hours of intercourse to prevent pregnancy...The physiological mechanisms are not precisely known but there is general consensus in the medical community that these pills may operate in one of three ways:
1. To delay or prevent ovulation (the release of the woman’s egg)
2. To prevent sperm from reaching the egg, preventing fertilization and acting as a contraceptive
3. To alter the lining of the uterus (endometrium), preventing implantation of an early embryo after fertilization.
The third way is critical when you consider the traditional definition of pregnancy, which is said to begin at fertilization. Therefore, this so-called "alteration" would result in the termination of life.
If the MAP is to be made available to a girl or woman of any age, this could lead to increased sexual activity driven by the mistaken promise of consequence-free sex.
Reaction among Christian and pro-family leaders was swift. Carrie Gordon Earll of CitizenLink said: “This ruling makes no sense. It gives young girls unsupervised access to a powerful drug without medical oversight or parental knowledge. It puts teenage girls at greater risk to be pressured into sex and provides no way for parents to know if their daughters are using the drug as a routine contraceptive – which the drug manufacturer warns against. The Obama Administration was right to restrict this drug to adults and the judge is wrong to reverse that decision."
Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List, said that, "Teen girls need parents, not unfettered access to abortion-inducing drugs...Judge Korman’s decision is reckless and denies girls the protection that comes along with the involvement of parents and doctors."
She went on to say that, "We should not be making it easier for young girls to access abortifacient drugs that end life at an unknown consequence to the young girl herself."
The next step would be an appeal by the Obama Administration and the Dept. of HHS.
3 - ADF posts Army training presentation labeling evangelical Christians "extreme"
A proposed U.S. Army Reserve training brief is said to contain a slide in a PowerPoint presentation labeling evangelical Christians, as well as Catholics, as "extreme" or "extremist". The presentation, which was obtained and posted online by legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, indicates that the Army Reserve in Pennsylvania considers evangelical Christians, Catholics, and Mormons as dangerous as the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, and Hamas.
According to WORLDmag.com, the text accompanying the slide listing “extremist” groups defines extremism as beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and actions far removed from the ordinary:
Because “ordinary” is subjective, no religious group would label itself extreme or its doctrine “extremism.” However, religious extremism is not limited to any single religion, ethnic group, or region of the world; every religion has some followers that believe that their beliefs, customs and traditions are the only “right way” and that all others are practicing their faith the “wrong way,” seeing and believing that their faith/religion superior to all others.The WORLD story quotes George Wright, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon, who confirmed the presentation was produced by an individual without consent from or knowledge of the Army's chain of command. The presentation is more than a year old, Wright said: "After receiving a single complaint following the presentation, this person deleted the slide, and it was never again shown. … This person has apologized for any offense it may have caused, and we consider the matter closed."
Chaplain Ron Crews, Executive Director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, also condemned the presentation. In a statement, he said that, “Men and women of faith who have served the Army faithfully for centuries shouldn’t be likened to those who have regularly threatened the peace and security of the United States...It is dishonorable for any U.S. military entity to allow this type of wrongheaded characterization.”
This brought to mind the 2009 Homeland Security document on so-called "right-wing extremism" that read, according to the Media Research Center's NewsBusters website:
Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or ejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.
Factor in the labeling of certain Christian and pro-family groups as "hate" groups, and you could conclude that this Army report is just another brick in a foundation that is being laid to discredit Christians and Christian organizations, contributing to a false narrative about people of faith.
2 - Suicide of Rick Warren's son brings attention to mental illness and depression
It was easily the talk of my Facebook news feed yesterday, as the tragic news from Southern California made headlines not only among Christians but in news media in general. The 27-year-old son of Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, Matthew, the youngest of the Warrens' three children, died of an apparent suicide on Friday night.
Pastor Warren sent an e-mail to the congregation on Saturday morning (excerpt from Christianity Today's website). It said, in part:
You who watched Matthew grow up knew he was an incredibly kind, gentle, and compassionate man. He had a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who was most in pain or most uncomfortable in a room. He’d then make a bee-line to that person to engage and encourage them.
But only those closest knew that he struggled from birth with mental illness, dark holes of depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In spite of America’s best doctors, meds, counselors, and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided. Today, after a fun evening together with Kay and me, in a momentary wave of despair at his home, he took his life.
Kay and I often marveled at his courage to keep moving in spite of relentless pain. I’ll never forget how, many years ago, after another approach had failed to give relief, Matthew said “ Dad, I know I’m going to heaven. Why can’t I just die and end this pain?” but he kept going for another decade.Sunday services at Saddleback included a message from the church's teaching pastor Tom Holladay, who, according to The Christian Post, told the congregation that Pastor Warren had called him earlier during the week to request him to preach to the church during the weekend. When Holladay asked what he should preach about, and what was on Warren's mind, Warren said he wanted the teaching pastor to preach about what to do on the worst day of your life – not knowing that later that week he would face Matthew's death.
Holladay's sermon was based on 1 Samuel 30, which is about David coming back from the battle and finding out that the entire town of Ziklag had been wiped out. The response of David and his people is a model for us to deal with a situation where hope seems distant, he said.
Holladay shared five things they did, and requested the audience to pray for Rick and Kay to walk through those steps:
1) Weep
2) Do not get bitter
3) Encourage others
4) Look to the future with hope
5) Attack evil.
Not only does the suicide of Matthew Warren gives us the opportunity to pray for Rick and Kay Warren, but we can be challenged as the body of Christ to look for ways to intervene in the lives of those who suffer from depression or even mental illness. While there are those have been taught that suicide is the unforgivable sin, the church at large, I believe, has now refined its perspective to recognize that there is adversity or despondency so great that people will take their own life. It is important to recognize the warning signs, if they are there, and take bold and compassionate steps to provide hope and direction. And, there has been a stigmatization in the church about mental health issues, and we must recognize that a battle with depression or other mental factors, which often have a chemical root, is not a sign of spiritual insufficiency. You can certainly walk deeply with Christ but still suffer with mentally-related conditions. Our challenge is to rush headlong and help and not run or turn a blind eye. And, this occurrence should not be used to look at Rick and Kay Warren in a negative light. Pastors - and many others - have been known to raise troubled children...it's not necessarily a reflection of some sort of parenting deficiency, rather, it is a reminder that we teach the principles, we love our kids, and leave the results up to God.
1 - Judge's decision on morning-after bill alarms pro-life groups
In a ruling that has some strong moral implications, a federal judge in New York has ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make the Plan B "morning-after pill" available without prescription to all women, including teenagers younger than 17 years of age.
According to a report on the CitizenLink website, the ruling comes after HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled a government panel recommendation in 2011 to sell the possible abortion-causing drug over-the-counter to girls as young as 11 without a prescription. At the time, Sebelius said she was concerned about young girls having access to the drug without doctor supervision.
CitizenLink relates that the Morning After Pill (MAP) is a term coined to describe a series of pills given to women within 72 hours of intercourse to prevent pregnancy...The physiological mechanisms are not precisely known but there is general consensus in the medical community that these pills may operate in one of three ways:
1. To delay or prevent ovulation (the release of the woman’s egg)
2. To prevent sperm from reaching the egg, preventing fertilization and acting as a contraceptive
3. To alter the lining of the uterus (endometrium), preventing implantation of an early embryo after fertilization.
The third way is critical when you consider the traditional definition of pregnancy, which is said to begin at fertilization. Therefore, this so-called "alteration" would result in the termination of life.
If the MAP is to be made available to a girl or woman of any age, this could lead to increased sexual activity driven by the mistaken promise of consequence-free sex.
Reaction among Christian and pro-family leaders was swift. Carrie Gordon Earll of CitizenLink said: “This ruling makes no sense. It gives young girls unsupervised access to a powerful drug without medical oversight or parental knowledge. It puts teenage girls at greater risk to be pressured into sex and provides no way for parents to know if their daughters are using the drug as a routine contraceptive – which the drug manufacturer warns against. The Obama Administration was right to restrict this drug to adults and the judge is wrong to reverse that decision."
Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List, said that, "Teen girls need parents, not unfettered access to abortion-inducing drugs...Judge Korman’s decision is reckless and denies girls the protection that comes along with the involvement of parents and doctors."
She went on to say that, "We should not be making it easier for young girls to access abortifacient drugs that end life at an unknown consequence to the young girl herself."
The next step would be an appeal by the Obama Administration and the Dept. of HHS.
Monday, April 01, 2013
The 3 - March 31, 2013
He is risen indeed! Easter weekend gives us a chance to pause, reflect, and worship in response to what Jesus did for us on the cross at Calvary. Not only is the celebration of Easter the top news story of this week, but the death and resurrection of Christ are the culmination of the story of God's love for and redemption of humanity. I also check out some response and analysis to the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing of arguments concerning the definition of marriage. And, let's open up with the story of religious freedom in Kentucky.
3 - Kentucky religious freedom bill withstands governor's veto
A bill that would support religious freedom in the state of Kentucky is now law, thanks to the House and the Senate there voting to override the veto by Gov. Steve Beshear, who said that The Kentucky Religious Freedom Act could “threaten public safety, health care and individual’s civil rights," according to a report on the CitizenLink website.
The legislation was designed to protect the religious freedom of individuals and religious organizations. The bill’s language states that the government shall not burden these freedoms, unless it can prove a “compelling governmental interest” for doing so. The legislation also protects the rights of individuals and religious organizations to act or refuse to act on religious grounds.
The legislation is simply a way to protect people, said Kent Ostrander, president of the Family Foundation of Kentucky. He explains that, "This bill is a shield for people of faith...It is not a weapon or a sword against anyone else .There’s been significant misunderstanding about that in recent weeks.”
The House voted 79-15 and the Senate voted 32-6 to override the veto.
This legislation is significant in that it offers protection for those who desire to share their faith and act according to their deeply held religious beliefs. In an era where many are concerned about the erosion of religious freedom in America, this bill attempts to provide a step in the opposite direction - and could be an example for other states.
2 - Gay marriage goes before the U.S. Supreme Court
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases involving same-sex marriage: the Proposition 8 case, involving California's amendment defining marriage as one man for one woman, and a case involving the Defense of Marriage Act, passed by Congress in 1996, holding that for purposes of Federal law, a marriage is defined as one-man, one-woman.
Tuesday, the high court held arguments on Proposition 8. Bruce Hausknecht, Judicial Analyst for CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, said that Justice Kennedy, generally thought to be the "swing" vote in this case, expressed a view that while the proponents of Prop 8 do have “standing” to bring and argue the appeal, he clearly has doubts about whether the issue of same-sex marriage, in general, should be before the Supreme Court yet. Hausknecht also pointed out that Justice Scalia's questions to Ted Olson, arguing on behalf of those challenging Prop 8, on when it became unconstitutional to prohibit gay marriage, and Olson’s fumbling of a response, helped prove Scalia’s point that the Court can’t make decisions like this based on some sort of evolutionary theory of constitutional law.
While the Supreme Court may be a bit hesitant to weigh in on Prop 8, the next day, as the arguments shifted to DOMA, there did seem to be some questioning on whether or not the Federal government should be defining marriage - Justice Kennedy reportedly seemed to question if this were strictly a state matter. Family Research Council, in its "Washington Update" for Wednesday, said that FRC's Senior Fellows Chris Gacek and Ken Klukowski, both attorneys, were at the Supreme Court for the oral arguments, and Chris said not to believe media spin that DOMA took a total beating. He reported that Paul Clement, the former U.S. Solicitor General hired by the House BLAG to defend DOMA, gave the strongest performance of any attorney in the two days of arguments.
FRC says that:
1 - Easter Sunday gives rise to inspiration, innovation
Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, is thought to be the most popular holiday for church attendance. A new LifeWay Research survey taken prior to Easter weekend shows that attending church on Easter Sunday is not a cut-and-dry decision for everyone - even for self-identified Christians. 41 percent of Americans surveyed said they planned on attending an Easter worship, but 39 percent said they did not; 20 percent said they are undecided. This makes the case for people inviting friends, neighbors, and family members to attend Easter services with them.
And, churches across the country had special outreaches planned for Good Friday and/or Easter Sunday. Here's a sampling of some of the creative ways that churches and ministry organizations were providing opportunities for people to hear the message of the cross and the empty tomb:
Beachfront services bring scores in Florida
The Christian Post reports on an Easter Sunday phenomenon at Rosemary Beach, Florida, a popular vacation spot in South Walton County, near Seaside. A beachfront service has been increasing in attendance dramatically since its beginnings a few years ago. Last year, between 1200 and 1500 people assembled in a green space near the beach. What's going on in Rosemary Beach right now, according to Chapel at the Beach Pastor Mike Young, is a movement of increasing faith.
3 - Kentucky religious freedom bill withstands governor's veto
A bill that would support religious freedom in the state of Kentucky is now law, thanks to the House and the Senate there voting to override the veto by Gov. Steve Beshear, who said that The Kentucky Religious Freedom Act could “threaten public safety, health care and individual’s civil rights," according to a report on the CitizenLink website.
The legislation was designed to protect the religious freedom of individuals and religious organizations. The bill’s language states that the government shall not burden these freedoms, unless it can prove a “compelling governmental interest” for doing so. The legislation also protects the rights of individuals and religious organizations to act or refuse to act on religious grounds.
The legislation is simply a way to protect people, said Kent Ostrander, president of the Family Foundation of Kentucky. He explains that, "This bill is a shield for people of faith...It is not a weapon or a sword against anyone else .There’s been significant misunderstanding about that in recent weeks.”
The House voted 79-15 and the Senate voted 32-6 to override the veto.
This legislation is significant in that it offers protection for those who desire to share their faith and act according to their deeply held religious beliefs. In an era where many are concerned about the erosion of religious freedom in America, this bill attempts to provide a step in the opposite direction - and could be an example for other states.
2 - Gay marriage goes before the U.S. Supreme Court
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases involving same-sex marriage: the Proposition 8 case, involving California's amendment defining marriage as one man for one woman, and a case involving the Defense of Marriage Act, passed by Congress in 1996, holding that for purposes of Federal law, a marriage is defined as one-man, one-woman.
Tuesday, the high court held arguments on Proposition 8. Bruce Hausknecht, Judicial Analyst for CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, said that Justice Kennedy, generally thought to be the "swing" vote in this case, expressed a view that while the proponents of Prop 8 do have “standing” to bring and argue the appeal, he clearly has doubts about whether the issue of same-sex marriage, in general, should be before the Supreme Court yet. Hausknecht also pointed out that Justice Scalia's questions to Ted Olson, arguing on behalf of those challenging Prop 8, on when it became unconstitutional to prohibit gay marriage, and Olson’s fumbling of a response, helped prove Scalia’s point that the Court can’t make decisions like this based on some sort of evolutionary theory of constitutional law.
While the Supreme Court may be a bit hesitant to weigh in on Prop 8, the next day, as the arguments shifted to DOMA, there did seem to be some questioning on whether or not the Federal government should be defining marriage - Justice Kennedy reportedly seemed to question if this were strictly a state matter. Family Research Council, in its "Washington Update" for Wednesday, said that FRC's Senior Fellows Chris Gacek and Ken Klukowski, both attorneys, were at the Supreme Court for the oral arguments, and Chris said not to believe media spin that DOMA took a total beating. He reported that Paul Clement, the former U.S. Solicitor General hired by the House BLAG to defend DOMA, gave the strongest performance of any attorney in the two days of arguments.
FRC says that:
No amount of legal footwork by those seeking redefinition of marriage can change the fact that society needs children, and children need a mom and a dad. It's not just about love between adults, it's about civilization. That's a compelling reason for both California and the federal government to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and for the Supreme Court to uphold both Proposition 8 and DOMA.Emily Belz, writing for the WORLD News Group at WorldMag.com, said that:
The U.S. Supreme Court cast a skeptical eye on the Defense of Marriage Act Wednesday, but on federalism grounds rather than equal protection. So if the court strikes down the law, it would probably do so because the law overrules states on marriage, rather than because the law discriminates against homosexuals.Liberty Counsel notes that:
Marriage is not just an emotional bond between two people or a legal document. It is an institution ordained of God to rightly order procreation and provide the best environment for the well-being of children. The natural family is fundamental to our very existence! That’s why the Supreme Court’s decision on this case is so important.
A same-sex relationship simply cannot be a marriage. Marriage does not depend on a popularity poll.
If marriage is redefined into something it cannot be, the marriage institution will be weakened, children and families will suffer, and religious freedom will be at risk.
Your prayers have never been more critical! Pray that the Supreme Court upholds the natural definition of marriage.The Alliance Defending Freedom developed a prayer guide leading up to the Supreme Court hearings, and prayer is going to be very critical in the days to come, as the high court ponders the government's interest in preserving marriage - a decision is expected in early summer. (Hear Andrew Walker of the Heritage Foundation on The Meeting House.)
1 - Easter Sunday gives rise to inspiration, innovation
Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, is thought to be the most popular holiday for church attendance. A new LifeWay Research survey taken prior to Easter weekend shows that attending church on Easter Sunday is not a cut-and-dry decision for everyone - even for self-identified Christians. 41 percent of Americans surveyed said they planned on attending an Easter worship, but 39 percent said they did not; 20 percent said they are undecided. This makes the case for people inviting friends, neighbors, and family members to attend Easter services with them.
And, churches across the country had special outreaches planned for Good Friday and/or Easter Sunday. Here's a sampling of some of the creative ways that churches and ministry organizations were providing opportunities for people to hear the message of the cross and the empty tomb:
Beachfront services bring scores in Florida
The Christian Post reports on an Easter Sunday phenomenon at Rosemary Beach, Florida, a popular vacation spot in South Walton County, near Seaside. A beachfront service has been increasing in attendance dramatically since its beginnings a few years ago. Last year, between 1200 and 1500 people assembled in a green space near the beach. What's going on in Rosemary Beach right now, according to Chapel at the Beach Pastor Mike Young, is a movement of increasing faith.
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